


A hundred dandelions

by randomdestielfangirl



Series: Season 12 coda fics [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode: s12e05 The One You've Been Waiting For, Fluff, Flustered Dean, Gen, Insecure Dean, M/M, Phone Calls & Telephones, Season/Series 12, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-30 09:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8527690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomdestielfangirl/pseuds/randomdestielfangirl
Summary: There’s a constant ache in the pit of his stomach and he spends a lot of time on the internet looking for cases, trying to ignore the automatic stab of fear he gets whenever he reads about injured blonde women or dead dark-haired men. The numbers of victims in these categories are surprisingly high lately. Or maybe they always were.As a consequence, he texts Cas a lot. Innocuous things.





	

His mother keeps only sporadic contact with them because she keeps forgetting to charge her phone— at least that’s what she says and Dean doesn’t want to question her. His angel is away looking for the devil himself, driving a crappy truck with the ex-king of hell for company.

With all of that it’s no wonder that Dean’s anxiety levels have been through the roof. There’s a constant ache in the pit of his stomach and he spends a lot of time on the internet looking for cases, trying to ignore the automatic stab of fear he gets whenever he reads about injured blonde women or dead dark-haired men. The numbers of victims in these categories are surprisingly high lately. Or maybe they always were.

As a consequence, he texts Cas a lot. Innocuous things.

_Morning Cas. Any luck yet?_

_We’re driving to Wichita on a probable shifter hunt. Sam says hi._

_Night Cas. This motel has actual clean sheets. And hand soaps shaped like sea shells in the bathroom. Can you believe that?_

Cas sometimes replies immediately, sometimes not for hours. Dean drinks a ton of coffee and cleans his guns during those instances, pretending he’s not worried. He keeps texting.

 _Watched the newest episode of_ _Eva la trailera today. Marlene is a fucking bitch. We have a lot of episodes to catch up on when you’re home again._

_Sam’s precious hair got singed at the ends today by the ghost of Margot Rodriguez. He’s eating his weight in mint chocolate chip now. I’ll send you a picture when he’s asleep._

On rare occasions, Cas calls him in the middle of the night. He’s not very talkative during the calls and almost always sounds tired and dispirited. Dean can hear the low hum of the radio in the background, Cas’s low voice asking him about their latest case. Dean rambles on and on about what he and Sam are up to, going off on tangents about highway attractions and crappy diner coffee. He makes jokes and talks about the latest plotlines on the multiple TV shows he and Cas watch together. He talks and talks until Cas laughs and the sound fills him with so much relief it brings tears to his eyes.    

_We’re back at the bunker. How are things with Crowley?_

_Picked up this large jar of organic honey at the farmer’s market today. Sam loves it. I think you’ll enjoy it too. You should come before he eats it all._

_Mom called today. She seems to be doing okay. Don’t think she’s coming back any time soon though._

Deep inside, he’s afraid. Afraid that he’s already lost Cas. That he’s already pushed him too far. 

_You should pop by sometime. If you’re nearby._

_In Grand Forks. Possible Rugaru. The pancakes in this diner are awesome. We should come here sometime._

_Back at the bunker. Case went okay. Sam sprained his ankle._

He wants to tether himself to Cas, to fill Cas’s inbox with reminders of home. Of Dean.

+

The Thule case is a relief in a way. They’d been holed up for three weeks before it showed up and Dean was glad to be doing something.

_We’re in Columbus, Ohio. Nazi necromancers._

_The coffee here is good. In a bit of a bind. Girl we were supposed to be helping ran away from us._

  _I killed Hitler._

_Sam and I just had the best pie ever. Got an extra. I’ll save a slice for you if you can come._

_I killed Hitler, Cas._

_Sam didn’t let me use a grenade launcher today._

_Oh and we managed to save the girl, if you’re wondering. She was a flighty airhead but came through at the end._

_I killed Hitler! :)_

He’s asleep when the phone starts ringing and Dean nearly falls off the bed and drops the thing twice before he can swipe at answer.

“Cas?”

“Dean? I’m sorry to call so late.”

“No problem man. You okay?”

“I’m... well. I called to ask about you. You killed _Hitler_?”

Dean sits on the bed, grinning.

“Yep.”

“The necromancers you mentioned managed to resurrect him?” Cas voice is as even as ever, but Dean can tell he’s smiling a little.

“They did, but I killed him.”

“That’s very impressive Dean. You should be proud of yourself.”

Dean feels his face grow hot.

“I saw a model ship today.” he blurts out, more to change the topic than anything else. Cas has a way of praising him that’s so filled with sincerity that Dean can barely stand to hear it for long.

“That’s... nice.”

“Nearly broke it too. But it was really nice looking. I got one. Not the one I almost broke, another one.” Dean babbles. “For your room, I mean. It looks nice.”

“Thank you Dean. It was very thoughtful of you.”

“Don’t feel too grateful, I just nicked it from the antique place before we left Columbus today. Sam was pissed.”

Cas laughs, a low and rumbling sound that makes Dean’s heart leap into his throat.

“You should come home.” Dean says suddenly, before he can stop himself. Cas doesn’t respond.

“To see the ship. And the pie. To eat the pie, I mean. If you can. I suppose I can freeze it if you can’t come any time soon though. But if you’re nearby.”

_Stop talking. Stop talking._

Dean claws his nails into the flesh of his upper arm to shut up and stop embarrassing himself further, but his brain is clearly off duty today.

“I just... I miss you. Sam too. He was complaining the other day that I don’t pull my weight around here doing that mind-numbing archival work you two were doing and—”

“Dean.” Cas interrupts gently. “I was thinking of paying a visit anyway in a couple of days. There are a few books I’ll need to consult.”

“Good. Uh, great.” Dean breathes, falling back against the pillow in a boneless heap. “See you around then.”

“Good night Dean.” Cas says, his voice filled with affection.

Dean smiles to himself and is just about to hang up when Cas speaks again.

“I miss you too Dean. More than you can imagine.”

Cas’s voice is so low Dean doubts if he was even meant to hear it. A perky radio host is talking about makeup in the background and Dean wonders what the hell kind of station Cas is listening to. He rubs a hand over his eyes.   

“Come home then. Not... Not for a visit. But after you’re done. Just come home. To stay.” he whispers.

There’s a long, long pause before Cas lets out a shuddering breath.

“I’ll stay.”

 

    


End file.
